1. Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates generally to instant messaging systems and, more particularly, to a method for filtering an instant messaging user's groups based on the particular task currently occupying the instant messaging user.
2. Description of Related Art
The Internet has revolutionized the way people communicate. E-mail was adopted rapidly as the main form of Internet communication. More recently, Instant Messaging (“IM”) has become an increasingly popular way to communicate over the Internet. Unlike E-mail, IM allows people to interact over the Internet in real-time by exchanging typed text messages on graphical user interfaces (“GUI”).
Current IM GUIs allow IM users to manage a static list of people with whom they interact, and the GUIs also indicate the status of each person on an IM user's list. A person on an IM user's list may be in active status, inactive status, or away status. Active status usually indicates that the person's IM presence is logged on ready to receive messages. Inactive status usually indicates that the person's IM presence is logged off and unable to receive messages. Away status usually indicates that a person's IM presence is logged on, but they are currently away from the computer.
IM is also being used in professional settings allowing colleagues to collaborate on tasks during the day. When an IM user works on a particular task, the IM user needs to interact with people assigned to the same task without interruptions from other people on the IM user's list. Currently, IM GUIs give an IM user the ability to appear inactive to everyone on their list even though their IM presence is actually logged on. IM GUIs also give an IM user the ability to select particular people to whom they want to appear inactive. An IM user working on a particular task will want to appear active only to the people assigned to the same task while appearing inactive to others. With the features currently available on IM GUIs, the IM user would be required to scan his list to determine who is currently assigned to the task. Furthermore, some people assigned to the task may not exist on an IM user's contact list. Therefore, it is desirable to have the ability to appear active only to people working on the same task by selecting a group of people instead of selecting each individual person.